Wandering Boy

[Faracon]

So I just watched the first episode of Wandering Boy today.

The art is beautiful, it kind of reminds me of Makoto Shinkai's works, such as The Place Promised in Our Early Days or Voices of a Distant Star.

I think out of all the new series out this season, I am gonna pay most attention to it. So far I can't really figure out the plot. Is it a boy's journey as he battles a Gender Identity Disorder of some sort. Or his life as a young discovering he might be homosexual. Or just a simple issue of battling social norms because he is just extremely effeminate male that likes to wear feminine clothing.

Its prodding my brain. Maybe because as a Bi male, I'm extremely feminine myself and question the beliefs and views of modern society and its stance on the same topics.

Any opinions?

[DazarGaidin]

Dunno, i was gonna watch this because the artwork looked so nice. I don't really like crossdressing/homosexual anime, but i have watched a couple depending on how they handle the topic. Haven't been able to snag an episode of this anywhere yet tho. (i thought it was Wandering Son, at least the poster preview we had floating had it as that.)

[KatayokuのTenshi]

Originally Posted by Faracon

So far I can't really figure out the plot.

That might be because

1) It's a very complicated subject that's hard for even the people involved to understand.

OR

2) They pick up the story about two years after it begins.

However the manga moves quite slowly and they hit all the main points in the first episode.

Originally Posted by Faracon

Is it a boy's journey as he battles a Gender Identity Disorder of some sort. Or his life as a young discovering he might be homosexual.

Well... that's the question. I doubt that Nitorin's a straight up homosexual (no pun intended). There's certainly some sort of trans-issues involved here, some people have suggested that it's Autogynephilia although that's pretty much only based on one vague panel about six or eight volumes ago. If that ever was the intention I'm sure it's since been dropped.

Nitorin has, at various times up to this point 'dated' (they were like 12, I don't know if you'd call it dating per se.) two girls and Takatsuki. I'm not trying to be glib saying that it's even less clear what Takatsuki is than Nitorin.

So, Nitorin's either lesbian or bisexual in my opinion. (*prepares for disagreements after calling Nitorin a lesbian*) Depending on how Nitorin sees Takatsuki... I guess?

Man, trans- everything makes my brain itch.

Mako-chan on the other hand

show spoiler

Is the gayest thing since gay came to gay town

Originally Posted by DazarGaidin

Dunno, i was gonna watch this because the artwork looked so nice. I don't really like crossdressing/homosexual anime, but i have watched a couple depending on how they handle the topic.

It's on Crunchyroll if you have an anime subscription thing and it'll be up for free next week (or you could register an account and take their free trial).

Why does every say that, by the way? "I don't really like this sort of thing/this isn't my usual taste..." It's like... "I just watched Wandering Son, no homo" This isn't directed solely at you, DazarGaidin but every second person is saying the same thing.

Originally Posted by DazarGaidin

Haven't been able to snag an episode of this anywhere yet tho. (i thought it was Wandering Son, at least the poster preview we had floating had it as that.)

That's its official English title (although since people often translate Mecha Musume as "Mecha Girl" and then there was Ika Musume...) The manga is also being released under the name "Wandering Son" soon, if anyone who's interested hasn't heard.

[Faracon]

Originally Posted by KatayokuのTenshi

That might be because

1) It's a very complicated subject that's hard for even the people involved to understand.

OR

2) They pick up the story about two years after it begins.

However the manga moves quite slowly and they hit all the main points in the first episode.



Well... that's the question. I doubt that Nitorin's a straight up homosexual (no pun intended). There's certainly some sort of trans-issues involved here, some people have suggested that it's Autogynephilia although that's pretty much only based on one vague panel about six or eight volumes ago. If that ever was the intention I'm sure it's since been dropped.

Nitorin has, at various times up to this point 'dated' (they were like 12, I don't know if you'd call it dating per se.) two girls and Takatsuki. I'm not trying to be glib saying that it's even less clear what Takatsuki is than Nitorin.

So, Nitorin's either lesbian or bisexual in my opinion. (*prepares for disagreements after calling Nitorin a lesbian*) Depending on how Nitorin sees Takatsuki... I guess?

Man, trans- everything makes my brain itch.

That is confusing but makes a little bit more sense. Thanks for clearing that up just a little. ((If only a little))

Also I tried to not look at the spoiler, but when I quoted you, I saw it. lol also the Nitorin a lesbian lol. Funneh. You jokester you.

[DazarGaidin]

Why does every say that, by the way? "I don't really like this sort of thing/this isn't my usual taste..." It's like... "I just watched Wandering Son, no homo" This isn't directed solely at you, DazarGaidin but every second person is saying the same thing.

Well for me its the truth, ive mentioned my tastes in other threads on related anime. Its not a disclaimer. Homo shows usually aren't something i enjoy, and a large majority of anime on the subject matter are fairly tasteless and targeted more toward fappers with a fetish than anything else. Or they go way to the other end to the point of being almost preachy. Just saying that given the artwork, as the op brought up, im willing to give it a shot anyway in the hopes that it falls in the more tasteful (or at least interesting) section.

As to why some people may be disclaiming? Im sure some people might think others will believe they have latent homosexual desires if they watch this (not likely), but I am not one of the people who feels watching any show, or any literary or other art for that matter, cant be done objectively or even enjoyed irregardless of your personal views on the subject. Of course i usually dont watch what i dont like in general, but there have been exceptions in just about all genre. Usually something has to make me believe its worth delving into a genre i typically don't enjoy.

[KatayokuのTenshi]

Originally Posted by Faracon

That is confusing but makes a little bit more sense. Thanks for clearing that up just a little. ((If only a little))

Clear as mud... but that's not really my fault. Blame the series, the issues and the fact that the characters are barely teenagers and so don't express - or entirely understand - themselves well.

Originally Posted by Faracon

lol also the Nitorin a lesbian lol. Funneh. You jokester you.

How so? A girl/woman who is romantically attracted to other girls/women exclusively is often called a lesbian. Transwomen = women, no? Some people here (also everywhere) will disagree with me on that but that's ok, I disagree with them too.

However I would call Nitorin bi.

Also for what it's worth

Ah, since you might to read the spoiler anyway:

V'ir orra vasbezrq gung Gnxngfhxv vf pbasvezrq gb or n genafobl va n erprag puncgre.

http://www.rot13.com/index.php

You didn't really need to quote me since I was one post above you and if are going to address a few points you should just quote the bit you're replying to beforehand.


Edit:

Originally Posted by DazarGaidin

Homo shows usually aren't something i enjoy, and a large majority of anime on the subject matter are fairly tasteless and targeted more toward fappers with a fetish than anything else. Or they go way to the other end to the point of being almost preachy.

Well, it's really none of those things.

Edit 2, Edit Harder: I read that as "peachy" for some reason (whatever that would mean here I don't know). What did you mean by that?

[ZeroRyoko1974]

So there is a dude, who likes to dress as a girl. He confessed his feelings once to a girl, and she rejected him. She likes to dress as a boy aparently. There seemed to be some other girl who dressed as a boy, but she claims to have done it because she felt like it that day. The trap's sister doesn't seem to approve, especially when he wore her clothes. That was as much as I got from the first episode.

[Faracon]

Originally Posted by ZeroRyoko1974

So there is a dude, who likes to dress as a girl. He confessed his feelings once to a girl, and she rejected him. She likes to dress as a boy aparently. There seemed to be some other girl who dressed as a boy, but she claims to have done it because she felt like it that day. The trap's sister doesn't seem to approve, especially when he wore her clothes. That was as much as I got from the first episode.

Pretty much. However, just read the first two volumes of the manga. It reaches to when the characters were still in elementry, and Nitorin-kun's (the trap) discovery of liking to wear women's clothing. But so far into the third chapter, I wouldn't say Nitorin isn't a complete transgender. Him being an autogynephiliac seems to be the most accurate description of him.

Im gonna keep reading but I think he is still straight. Its just that he feels more comfortable in women's clothing, maybe even more than just comfortable.

[KatayokuのTenshi]

Originally Posted by Faracon

But so far into the third chapter, I wouldn't say Nitorin isn't a complete transgender. Him being an autogynephiliac seems to be the most accurate description of him.

I'd disagree - I've only read the first 10 books or so (and chapter 90) but unless something big's happened since then... Then again I don't know anyone who is that so if you do and thought "oh, that's totally like x person" ... and you still think that after you've read more of the story... I'll probably still think the same as I do now.

Oh, two more things:

I was surprised that they resorted to stock music so quickly considering how good the music in the trailer was. Then again if it was good enough for LOGH then I guess it's good enough here. (By the way if anyone knows what that piece was could they chip in? I'm drawing a total blank and it's bugging me because I really should know it.)

And:

Wandering Son Book 1: 27 Jan 2011
Wandering Son Book 2: 13 Jul 2011

For serious? I don't know about anyone else but I can buy more than 2/3 books a year. Does it take that long to localise it? Because it's being written at the rate of 2 books a year and she's writing at least one other series at the same time (Aoi Hana) and I think it's up to 12 books now. I don't know if they think the market won't support such a rate or if they can't afford it for some reason. Maybe they'll speed up if the first two sell well... I don't know, but it's a little frustrating.

[Meegle]

Originally Posted by ZeroRyoko1974

So there is a dude, who likes to dress as a girl. He confessed his feelings once to a girl, and she rejected him. She likes to dress as a boy aparently. There seemed to be some other girl who dressed as a boy, but she claims to have done it because she felt like it that day. The trap's sister doesn't seem to approve, especially when he wore her clothes. That was as much as I got from the first episode.

This is exactly what I got from the first episode. But the main guy ( the dude that dresses like a girl, can't remember his name) isn't gay. He just likes dressing like agirl.

[ZeroRyoko1974]

ep 2 made even less sense then ep 1. The trap liked the reverse trap, but a 3rd wheel liked the trap, and forced him to admit his feelings for the reverse trap and got mad at the reverse trap because of that?

[KatayokuのTenshi]

Exactly. What's so confusing about that?

[adadqgg]

I think that this anime is not bad(not as homo as I thought it would be). I would like to read the manga too.

[Leader Desslock]

Originally Posted by KatayokuのTenshi

...some people have suggested that it's Autogynephilia ...

Never heard the term.

<looks up>
<digs a little deeper>

We needed a new term for Crossdressing?

[ThePhillyFlash]

Originally Posted by ZeroRyoko1974

So there is a dude, who likes to dress as a girl. He confessed his feelings once to a girl, and she rejected him. She likes to dress as a boy aparently. There seemed to be some other girl who dressed as a boy, but she claims to have done it because she felt like it that day. The trap's sister doesn't seem to approve, especially when he wore her clothes. That was as much as I got from the first episode.

That was EXACTLY how I read what happened in the first episode, only the poor boy's sister just didn't disapprove of his crossdressing, she went ballistic when she caught him wearing her clothes. I also agree that the boy isn't at all gay, he apparently suffers from gender dysphoria, nothing more, nothing less. All in all, an interesting show that deals with transgenderism in a serious way instead of for laughs as in past shows like Ranma 1/2 or I My Me Strawberry Eggs.